Spindle-bearing.



B. C. GIBSON. SPINDLE BEARING. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 19, 1910.

' I 1 VENTOR WITNESSES 30 B775? Patented Jan. 9, 1912.

BRITT G. GIBSON, 0F LO GKI-IART', SOUTH CAROLINA.

SPINDLE-BE'ARING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedJ an. 9,1912.

Application filed October 19, 1910. Serial No. 588,008.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bnrr'r O. GIBSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lockhart, in the county of Union and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spindle- Bearings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in bearings for spindles of spinning machines, and its object is to provide a means whereby a spindle may be adjusted to run vertically even though the supporting casting has its longitudinal axis. out of a true vertical line, or where because of wear or from other causesthe spindle is no longer vertical it may be readily restored to the desired condition. To this end there is provided a step bearing for the lower end of the spindle introduceable into the corresponding lower end of the bolster, which latter may have a cylindrical bore, and such step bearing is adjustable in the direction of its length to initially adjust the spindle and to later provide for the compensation for wear. To bring the longitudinal axis of the spindle to the desired position, the step bearing where engaged by the lower'end of the spindle is made eccentric to the axis of rotation of the step bearing, and by turning the bearing the bottom of-the spindle is moved to one side or the other carrying the upper end of the spindle in the reverse direction, so that it.

may be readily adjusted as desired. It is customary to true the casting carrying the spindle bearings with relation to the spindle rail by the introduction of sheets of paper on one side or the other of the usual flange resting on the rail, but this frequently results in the breaking of'the castings due to the unequal strain put thereupon, especially when the clamp nut is screwed tight. By the present invention the castings may be attached to the rail without stress or strain, and the spindles may be trued afterward by the proper adjustment of the step bearings, the spindles having sufficient freedom of movement in the bolsters for the purpose.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that while the showing of the drawings is that of a practical embodiment of the invention, various changes maybe made in the structure and proportions of parts so long as the salient features of the invention are retained.

In the drawings :F igure 1 is an axial. section through the spindle bearings and casting carrying the same, the spindle being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail section through that portion of the spindle bearing receiving the lower end of the spindle, the bearing being shown tilted but to an exaggerated extent.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a rail 1 such as is customarily used for carrying spindles of spinning machines, and this rail at appropriate points has openings 2 therethrough for a shank 3 on the body member 1 of the spindle support. The shank 3 is threaded for an appropriate distance to receive a nut 5 by means of which the body member 4: is clamped to the rail, said body member 4: having a flange 6 engaging the top of the rail, while the nut 5 engages the under side thereof, the spindle structure standing upright in practice. The

lower end of the shank 3 has therethrough a threaded opening 7 for the reception of the threaded end 8 of a step bearing 9, which latter has at one end a bore 10 with the open end 11 slightly tapered, and through the side walls perforations 12 for lubricant. The threaded portion 8 of the step bearing has applied thereto a nut 13 and a sleeve 14, one end of which is hollowed out, as indicated at 15, for the reception of a packing washer 16 designed to engage the corresponding end of the neck 3. Within the neck 3 and extending through the body portion of the spindle support is a bolster17,'the interior of which is substantially cylindrical. This bolster is provided with oil holes 18 as is usual, and extends down to the bottom of the interior portion of the neck 3 near which it may be provided with recesses or slots 19 on opposite sides, one of these slots receiving a pin 20 fast in the neck 3 and entering the appropriate slot 19 to prevent the bolster from turning. By providing slots 19 on opposite sides, the bolster may be removedwhen worn on one side and reversed, thus materially increasing its life. The bolster extends to near the upper end of the body portion, the said upper end of the body portion being indicated at 21.

There is provided a spindle 22 which may be of the usual type with a hood portion 23 embracing the upper end of the body portion 21 and formed with the usual pulley 24 for the application of power by a belt. Below the hood 23 the spindle has a portion 25 approximately cylindrical in shape and from this cylindrical portion the lower end 26 of the spindle is tapered, finally ending in a point 27 adapted to an eccentric bearing 28 in the bottom of the bore 10 of the step bearing body 9. The body portion 4 is shown as provided with the usual lubricant offset 29, which being of common form needs no further description.

In assembling the parts, the neck 3 is introduced through the opening 2 of the rail 1 until the flange 6 rests firmly against the top of the rail, and then the nut 5 may be applied to the threaded portion of the neck and screwed tightly against the corresponding face of the rail, thus clamping the spindle supporting body to the rail without strain, such as might occur if in the attempt to true the body portion pieces of paper or other material were introduced under one side of the flange 6. If now, when a spindle 22 is introduced into the bolster it should be found that it is not running on a vertical axis, the step bearing 9 is turned until the spindle is true, this being accomplished because of the eccentricity of the bearing 28 where engaged by the lower pointed end 27 of the taper portion 26 of the spindle, the slight loosencss of fit of the parts permitting this adjustment of the spindle. Should Wear occur, the bearing 9 may be adjusted to take up such wear.

The sleeve 14: and washer 16 may be removed whenever necessary by first removing the nut 13, which may be accomplished without disturbing the bearing 9, since the sleeve 14 has an internal diameter suflicient to pass over the threads of the threaded end 8. When the nut 13 is tightened, the sleeve 14 because of its concaved face where e11- gaging the washer l6 forces the latter into the threads of the threaded portion 8, and so forms a tight joint through which lubricant from the interior of the bearing has no escape. The nut 13 serves both as a jam nut for the step bearing, and also as a means for holding the washer 16 tightly in place. Moreover, the bolster which may become worn may be readily removed without dis- .turbing the step bearing, and turned sufliciently to cause the other slot 19 to be brought into operative relation to the pin 20, or the bolster may be replaced by a new bolster, and all this may be accomplished without disturbing the step bearing.

In orderthat the step bearing member 9 may be rotated when desired, the end remote from that containing the recess or socket 10 is squared as indicated at 30 for the application of a wrench, but this square portion is of less extent than the diameter of the threaded portions so as notto interfere with the removal of the nut 13 and collar 14.

The end of the step bearing containing the bore 10 is at a slight angle to the threaded portion 8, and the threaded pascoincide with such longitudinal axis. This provides for the adjustment of the spindle and the eccentricity of the step bearing will also cause it to bind the bolster against the shank 3.

\Vhat is claimed is 2-- 1. In a spindle bearing structure, a rotatable step bearing comprising a member having at one end a socket with the inner end thereof forming a bearing for the spindle, the longitudinal axis of said socketed end being at an angle to the axis of rotation of said member.

2. In a spindle bearing structure, a rotatable step bearing comprising a member having at one end a socket with the inner end thereof formed into a bearing for the spindle, the longitudinal axis of the socketed end being at an angle to the axis of rotation of said member and the other end of the member being externally screw-threaded, and a support for said member threaded to receive the said threaded portion of the member.

3. A spindle bearing comprising a body portion having at one end a threaded passage at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the body portion, a bolster within. the body portion, and a step bearing for the spindle adapted to said bolster, said bearing having one end threaded to enter the threaded portion of the body member and the other end at an angle to the threaded end and formed with a socket adapted to receive the corresponding end of a spindle.

4. In a spindle bearing structure, an elongated rotatably adjustable step bearing for the spindle, and a support for said bearing, the bearing having a spindle engaging portion and a support engaging portion both in one piece, and with the longitudinal axes of the two portions at an angle one to the other.

5. In a spindle bearing structure, a rotatable step bearing member for the spindle having the end remote from that engaging the spindle externally screw threaded, a sleeve having a central passage of sufiicient extent to pass over the screw threads and having one face hollowed out for the reception of packing, and a nut for the threaded end of the bearing, said step bearing having at the end remote from the threaded end a socket for receiving the corresponding end of the spindle and provided with a bearing portion eccentric to the axis of rotation of the bearing member.

6. A spindle bearing comprising a body portion having a neck terminating at its free end with an internally threaded inclined passage, a bolster within the neck and body portion, and a step bearing for a spindle adapted tothe bolster, said step bearing having one end threaded to enter the threaded end of the neck, and the other end at an angle to the threaded end and adapted to enter the corresponding end of the bolster and provided with a socket for the corresponding end of the spindle, said socket having at its inner end a bearing for the spindle eccentric to the longitudinal axis of said body portion.

7. A spindle bearing comprising a body portion having a neck terminating at its free end with an internally threaded inclined passage, a bolster within the neck and body portion, and a rotatable step bearing for a spindle adapted to the bolster, said step bearing having one end threaded to enter the threaded end of the neck and the other end at an angle to the threaded end and adapted to enter the,corresponding end of the bolster and provided with a socket for the corresponding end of the spindle, said socket having at its inner end a bearing for the spindle eccentric to the axis of rotation of said step bearing, said step bearing being also provided with a nut exterior to the neck, and a sleeve having a hollowed out face for the reception of packing and applied to the threaded portion of the step bearing between the nut and the corresponding end of the neck.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BRITT C. GIBSON.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR F. CLEVELAND, W. P. BALDWIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

